Dinosaurs Alive! Educator Guide PDF

Giant Screen Films presents A Gigantic ADVENTURE Inside: Poster and Activities! Major funding provided by the National Science Founda...

Giant Screen Films presents A Gigantic ADVENTURE Inside: Poster and Activities! Major funding provided by the National Science Foundation www.dinosalive.com/education  KEY CONCEPTS Use these concepts to help connect the film to your science curriculum. They convey the educational themes in Dinosaurs Alive! 1. Science is an Ongoing Process Scientific knowledge changes over time as new evidence becomes available. Paleontologists are unearthing new fossils all the time, and one find can sometimes change our entire understanding of ancient animals. Recent discoveries have provided startling new clues about how dinosaurs looked, moved, and behaved. Paleontologists also develop new ideas by reexamining Paleonto fossils that were unearthed long ago. logists d ig for fossil s About the Film 2. Tools and Technologies Enable Scientists to Make Observations and Discoveries Scientists have been using shovels, brushes, and compasses for over 150 years and continue to use them today. In addition, cutting edge technologies provide paleontologists with new ways to find and examine fossils. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) linked to satellites help teams navigate to dig sites and pinpoint exactly where particular fossils were found. Advanced Dinosaurs Alive is a global adventure of imaging, such as digital x-rays and CAT scans, offer 3D science and discovery. From the sand dunes of images of fossils without damaging them. Mongolia’s Gobi Desert to the sandstone buttes of New Mexico, follow American Museum of Natural History paleontologists (above) as they uncover some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history. Then experieance these amazing creatures on the big screen through the power of computer-generated imagery. 3. Fossils Provide Clues as to How Dinosaurs Live Paleontologists are like detectives. They examine the evidence that extinct animals left behind, such as fossilized bone, shell, skin impression, and feather evidence. Scientists study jaws and teeth to determine what a dinosaur might have eaten. By studying footprints, scientists can estimate the size of the dinosaur, its speed, and aspects of its behavior. And coprolites (fossilized dung) can provide clues to its maker’s diet.  4. The Earth Has a Vast History Scientists estimate the age of the Earth to be about 4.5 billion years. To describe Earth’s long history, scientists use a geologic timescale. They divide time into long segments called eras. Each era is further divided into periods. Different Earth events and organisms characterize each period. Dinosaurs appeared roughly 230 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era. Modern humans have only been on Earth for lay a cross about 150,000 years. os t Ranc h, New Mexico disp The cliffs of Gh d down to time, from the Cretaceous Perio section of the Triassic. ACTIVITY CONNECTIONS 5. Dinosaurs Observe a Dinosaur: Students learn that Are Diverse dinosaurs are not extinct by investigating the relationship between modern birds and ancient Dinosaurs are a highly successful group dinosaurs. They then observe birds to infer dinosaur of animals with a vast array of physical behavior, and be reminded that fossils provide clues features. There were small carnivorous as to how dinosaurs live. Time Frame: 2 class periods dinosaurs the size of a pigeon and massive herbivorous dinosaurs as long as three Solve a Sedimentary Layers Puzzle: school buses. Their diverse body features, Students experience the ongoing process of science as they analyze fossils. The strategy students use to such as crests, crowns, and horns, were reconstruct the layers is the same strategy scientists used for both display and defense. Some use to reconstruct geologic history from fossils. walked on four limbs, others walked on Time Frame: 1 class period two. Their diversity allowed them to live in a range of land- Create a Timeline of the Earth: Student scapes, teams examine Earth’s vast history and the diversity in varied of dinosaurs and other life forms by researching major Earth events and organism groups. Teams can climates, then display their poster presentations in chronologic and on order to illustrate the Earth’s history. every Time Frame: 2 class periods plus outside outreach continent. Flesh Out a Fossil: Students try their own hand at fleshing out a fossil as they explore how artists create realistic dinosaur drawings from fossil skeletons. Time Frame: 1 class period The armored Tarchia 6. Birds Are Living Dinosaurs Dinosaurs are not extinct. Birds are descendants of small carnivorous dinosaurs that lived over 140 million years ago. Birds survived the catastrophic extinction event that wiped out almost half of Earth’s plant and animal species, among them, the non-avian dinosaurs. Dinosaurs amon g us today!  OBSERVE A DINOSAUR How did ancient dinosaurs move and behave? To find out, paleontologists look for clues in fossils, such as fossilized footprints, eggs, and even dung. They also observe and analyze the movement and behavior of living dinosaurs and other animals. These data help paleontologists interpret the fossil evidence. You can also observe living dinosaurs. Go outdoors to find birds in their natural habitat. (Or you can use online bird videos, such as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s video gallery at www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/ BirdGuide/VideoGallery.html) 1. Record Your Observations What Evidence IndiCates In a notebook, first record information That Birds Are Dinosaurs? about the environment: Over 125 years ago, paleontologists made a startling discovery. They Date and Time recognized that the physical characteristics of modern birds and a species of small carnivorous dinosaur were alike. Location and Habitat Weather and temperature Take a look at the skeletons of roadrunner (a modern bird) and Coelophysis (an extinct dinosaur) to explore some of these shared Then observe a bird and record: characteristics. Check out the bones labeled on the roadrunner. Can you find and label similar bones on the Coelophysis? How does the bird move? What does the bird eat? ROADRUNNER Is the bird alone or in a group? S-shaped neck How does the bird behave with Hole in hip socket members of its species? How does the bird behave with members of other species? V-shaped furcula Pubis bone in hip (wishbone) points backwards Tips: Weather conditions can affect how animals behave. Try observing birds in different conditions and different times of day. Three primary To collect good data, try to observe similar toes on feet COELOPHYSIS groups of birds two or three times. 2. Analyze Your Data What can you conclude about bird behavior? What clues to this behavior might be pre- served in the rock record (e.g. footprints)? The heaviest dinosaurs, such as Argentinosaurus, may have weighed up to 100 tons. That’s as heavy as 15 FUN elephants! The lightest dinosaur, the FACT hummingbird, weighs about 4 grams. That’s less than the weight of a nickel! SOLVE A SEDIMENTARY LAYERS PUZZLE Did you know that the 1. Photocopy and cut out the five strips of paper history of life on Earth Each strip represents a sedimentary rock layer formed during a certain time period. is told through rocks? Dinosaur fossils Over millions of years, sediments 2. Put the layers in correct order have been such as sand and silt were laid Begin by placing B, the “oldest layer,” FUN discovered on FACT every continent, down and compressed to form on the bottom. Then decide which sedimentary rock layers. They layer comes next. It will have some even Antarctica. preserve a record of ancient land- of the same organisms as the older scapes, climates, and organisms. layer and some new ones. (Hint: Organisms do not disappear for a layer and then reappear.) Place it above. Continue until the layers are in order, Scientists often determine the with the youngest at the top. Check your answers and write the time correct sequence of sedimentary period on each layer. rock layers using the fossils found within them. They compare the fossils to figure out if two layers Explore More! Look at the fossils within each layer. What plants and animals lived are from the same geologic time during the same time period? Then compare the layers to explore the period, or if one layer is older changing plant and animal groups throughout Earth’s history. Which than the other. organisms survived from one time period to the next? Which ones went extinct? Could Tarbosaurus have hunted Seismosaurus? What organ- Try reconstructing the layers isms survived the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period? below using the same strategy! gingko sharks birds dyrosaurs horses dragonfly flowering A plants gingko Coelophysis Effigia dragonfly sharks icthyosaurs pterosaur ammonites Postosuchus B OLDEST LAYER gingko birds dragonfly sharks ammonites flowering plants pterosaur Tarbosaurus dyrosaurs C icthyosaurs bataar gingko Homo sapiens dragonfly birds flowering horses sharks plants D gingko ammonites birds pterosaur Seismosaurus Stegosaurus dragonfly sharks icthyosaurs E C (Cretaceous Period, 145-65 mya), E (Jurassic Period, 200-145 mya), and B (Triassic Period, 250-200 mya) Answers: Order of layers from top to bottom: D (Quaternary Period, 2 million years ago to present), A (Tertiary Period, 65-2 mya), CREATE A TIMELINE OF THE EARTH Our planet Earth formed about 4.5 Dinosaurs did not all live billion years ago. That’s a really, really during the same geologic period. Stegosaurus became extinct long time ago! To help picture it, imagine the entire FUN 66 million years before history of the Earth squeezed into just twelve hours, from FACT Tyrannosaurus rex walked noon to midnight. When we think of time in this way, the Earth. humans have only been around for about a minute! 12:00 pm 11:23 pm 11:59 pm 4.5 billion years 230 million years ago 150,000 years ago ago the Earth the first dinosaurs modern humans formed appeared appeared To describe Earth’s vast history, scientists use a geologic timescale. They divide it into long segments of time called eras. Each era is further ERAS PERIODS divided into periods. Cenozoic Quaternary 2 mya to present Earth events and organisms characterize each era and period. For example, the Mesozoic Era starts after an extinction event that wiped out Tertiary almost 90% of species on Earth. Dinosaurs then flourished until the end 65-2 mya of the Mesozoic Era, which is marked by another major extinction event. Mesozoic Cretaceous Most dinosaurs went extinct but one group of dinosaurs—birds—survived. 145-65 mya Jurassic Working in a small team, you will create a poster presentation about one 200-145 mya of the periods. You can use classroom and library resources, as well as the Internet to research the following information: Triassic 250-200 mya 1. Landmasses 3. Earth Events Paleozoic Permian What did the surface of the What major Earth events occurred 300-250 mya Earth look like? Illustrate the during the period? Was there Carboniferous arrangement of landmasses widely distributed volcanic activity, 360-300 mya and/or continents. an asteroid impact, or the forma- Devonian tion of large mountain belts? 420-360 mya 2. Climate Silurian What was the climate like? 4. Organisms 445-420 mya Was there an ice age? Was it What plant and animal groups very warm? lived during the period? What Ordovician organisms became extinct? 490-445 mya Tips Cambrian As a part of your presentation, illustrate a 12-hour clock and mark the span of the 540-490mya period on the clock. Hint: Each hour corresponds to 375 million years. Precambrian Precambrian Include photographs of plant and animal fossils or artist renditions of organisms 4,500-540 mya that lived during the period.  Flesh out a FOSSIL OVIRAPTOR How do artists start with a skeleton and turn it into a realistic animal drawing? After finding and reconstructing a dinosaur skeleton, scientists often work with artists to recreate what the animal may have looked like in real life. Take a look at the steps that artists use to create a lifelike dinosaur. 1. Add a body 2. Add shading 3. Add details Using a pencil and tracing Use short, light strokes to create Add skin texture, feathers, or scaly paper, outline where you think shadows to make your dinosaur skin. Then color your dinosaur. the dinosaur’s muscles and flesh look more lifelike. Use firmer Tip: Use your imagination! Some might have been. Show the shape strokes to refine the dinosaur’s dinosaurs had scaly skin; some had of the arm and thigh and how outline, eyes, nostrils, and claws. feathers. Fossils don’t tell us anything they attach to the body. about skin color or patterns, so pick a Tip: Pretend a light is shining from the upper left corner. Where would color (or colors) you think this animal Tip: Think about whether some areas the shadows be? may have had. on the dinosaur’s body have more flesh than others. Also think about living animals with a similar body form, like a chicken or ostrich. Fossilized feathers have been found on several species of extinct carnivorous FUN dinosaurs. These feathers were not used FACT for flight, but for show and warmth. Now It’s Your Turn! Follow the steps to flesh out this Velociraptor skeleton. Visit www.dinosalive.com/ education to download larger skeletons of Velociraptor and other dinosaurs.  Join paleontologists as they hunt for dinosaur fossils around the world. Then experience these fascinating creatures on the big screen through the power of computer-generated imagery! www.dinosalive.com Dinosaurs Alive is a production of: Visit www.dinosalive.com/education to find: interactive dino puzzle & movie storyboard David Clark Inc. hands-on classroom activities Giant Screen Films recommended books and websites Maryland Science Center Stardust Blue, LLC Major funding provided by the National Science Foundation, with additional support In Association with the from the Museum Film Network and 3D Film American Museum of Natural History Interest Group. This activity poster is produced by the Distributed by Giant Screen Films © 2007 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.